News

Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales,has issued a recall for approximately 91,388 pounds of raw ground turkey products that may be associated with an illness outbreak of Salmonella. There is a concern that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith is advising residents where wildfires have been burning, along with people in the smoke’s path, to stay indoors and reduce outdoor activity.

Eating healthy this Thanksgiving begins with basic home food safety practices that are known to reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. The Monterey County Health Department is reminding all cooks entering the kitchen this season to follow the Fight BAC!® basics of home food safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

Housing

housing information

The purpose of this program is to ensure safe and healthful shelter for residents and visitors of Monterey County and correctional facility occupants by ensuring compliance with the requirements for sanitation, ventilation, maintenance, use and occupancy for organized camps and detention facilities under provisions of the California Health and Safety Code.

What We Do

ORGANIZED CAMPS and EMPLOYEE HOUSING

Employee Housing in California is regulated by the Employee Housing Act. This act was enacted to ensure that persons living in privately owned and operated employee housing facilities are provided with a living environment that complies with the State of California's health and safety requirements. The Act regulates maintenance, use, and occupancy of employee housing and requires permanent buildings to comply with the State Housing law.

For additional information on Employee Housing, please contact the staff of the Monterey County Environmental Health Bureau.

Inspect and permit Employee Housing facilities in Monterey County. In general, Employee Housing refers to housing provided by employers or private property owners for five employees or more. Employee housing may consist of any living quarters, dwelling, boardinghouse, tent, bunkhouse, maintenance-of-way car, mobilehome, manufactured home, recreational vehicle, travel trailer, or other housing accommodations, maintained in one or more buildings or on one or more sites, and the premises upon which they are situated or the area set aside and provided for parking of mobilehomes or camping of five or more employees.

The following general standards apply to Employee Housing sites:

Caretaker
There must be a caretaker to see that the camp is maintained properly.

Light, Heat, Ventilation
Rooms used for living, dining, cooking or sleeping and toilet and bath buildings must have proper light and ventilation with insect screening on windows and outside doors. Heating must be provided which will maintain a minimum 60 degree temperature in sleeping quarters and 70 degree temperature in bath buildings when occupied.

Beds and Sleeping Areas
Suitable and separate beds must be provided for all workers. The rooms or areas used for sleeping purposes for more than one person shall be maintained with a floor area of not less than 50 square feet for each occupant and a minimum average ceiling height of not less than 7 feet.

Drinking Water
Fresh and pure drinking water must be supplied at convenient locations. An annual water test may be required.

Kitchen Facilities
Kitchen sinks must be supplied with hot and cold running water. Shelves are required for food storage above the floor.

Toilets, Lavatories and Showers
At least one shower and one lavatory with hot and cold running water and one toilet must be provided for each sex for each 10 workers. Lavatories shall be located adjacent to the toilet facilities.

Sanitation
All toilet and bathrooms, kitchen and mess halls, sleeping and living rooms, and beds and bedding must be kept clean and sanitary. Closed garbage and waste containers must be provided and must be emptied as often as necessary. The entire camp area must be kept clean and well drained and free from trash and garbage.

Location with Respect to Livestock
Employee housing shall be maintained not less than 100 feet from barns, pens, or similar quarters of livestock or poultry

Drainage
The premises shall be free from depressions in which water can stand. Natural sinkholes, pools, swamps or other surface collectors of water within 200 feet of the periphery of employee housing shall be either drained or filled to remove the surface water.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Restriction
No liquefied petroleum (LP) gas tanks or cylinders shall be maintained within an enclosed housing accommodation, nor be within 5 feet of a source of ignition, nor be less than 5 feet from any building opening or property line.

Exits
All exists for all buildings or portions thereof in employee housing shall be maintained clear and unobstructed at all times and meet Building Code requirements.

Employee Responsibility
Each employee and occupant of a labor camp shall help take care of the camp and keep it clean.

RESIDENTIAL

The Environmental Health Division is responsible for ensuring that residential housing is safe, sanitary, and fit for human habitation. This is accomplished through investigations of complaints involving any housing sites.
Conditions addressed include, but are not limited to:

JAILS

The Environmental Health Division is also responsible for ensuring that correctional facility occupants are housed in safe & sanitary conditions. This is accomplished through investigations of complaints involving any jails, lock-ups, or correctional facilities.